National health care policy - Essay Example

As such, the White Paper, Our health, our care, our say: A new direction for community service (Department of Health, 2006a) aims to put in place the structure required to achieve these goals. Importantly, this particular health policy identifies and explains a comprehensive and integrated framework to adapt community health and social care services to the UK community of the 21st century (Thomas, 2005). Ultimately, the document seeks to support a patient-centred approach and in doing so increase the standards of quality service across the national health system.

The integration of health delivery services will enable the diverse range of care organisations to provide convenient, comfortable and high-value care that will meet the communities immediate, and long-term needs. This paper aims to critically review the social health care policy of Our health, our care, our say in regards to the contribution of nursing. Firstly, the White Paper shall be more fully described. Secondly, the political, financial and social drives behind this policy shall be identified.

Thirdly, the concept of clinical governance shall be explained. Next, the tensions between health care providers and the users of these services briefly outlined. The roles and skills required of nurses within the integrated NHS will then be established. And the roles of other multi-disciplines and agencies shall be provided. Finally, a conclusion shall reiterate the main arguments and show the vital need for nurses to support the implementation of this White Paper. Our health, our care, our say: A new direction for community service The White Paper, Our health, our care, our say, is part of the NHS plan to create a world-class health and social-care system (Department of Health, 2006a).

This document is just one element of the present Government's long-term and nation-wide reform programme to provide services that place the patient at the centre of the healing process, rather than the traditional model that has required the patient to fit with the services available. The framework provisions the patient and other end-users of health care services, with more control. Also, the policy makes services more responsive to the needs of the community, especially people who require more complex care plans, as well as to enable services to be accessed at amore local level, by way of integrating the diverse service providers available.

An example of some of the services within the community that will be integrated include: home-care and other health visitors, GPs and family planning centres, day and short-break centres, mental health agencies, family planning and pharmacies, meals on wheels and social workers, general and community hospitals, PCTs and local council authorities. Overall, the changes enable better value for public money, as a procedure that occurs in primary care can be up to one-third of the cost of secondary care.

The legislation sets new standards for an integrated delivery of health and social care services to the community (Department of Health, 2006b). The NHS has determined that integration is a critical way to reduce the waste of resources whilst providing a standardized approach to service delivery across the nation. In July, 2002, it was determined that funding for health and social care resources would be pooled to encourage the diverse range of service providers to establish partnerships